Board of Advisors

David Wexler

Hollywood Vaults, Owner

David Wexler is an expert in the field of film and videotape preservation and cold storage vaulting. Recognizing a need for preservation-quality media storage, he designed and built the innovative Hollywood Vaults in 1985. A trusted friend and colleague since 2007, Mr. Wexler has offered expert advice since Taylor Whitney took Preserving The Past in a new direction—working with institutional and corporate clients. Preserving The Past, LLC and Hollywood Vaults entered into a joint venture with Underground Archives in 2011 to offer cold storage services for small and large mix-media collections.

Grant Romer

Academy of Archaic Imaging, Founding Director; George Eastman Museum,  Director of the Advanced Residency Program in Photograph Conservation (Retired)

Grant Romer and Taylor met during the second year of her Master of Arts program in 2005 at George Eastman Museum in Rochester, NY. Grant took the initiative to advise Taylor on many subjects while in school as well as opening Preserving The Past offices in Rochester, NY. The knowledge Grant willingly shares includes photographic preservation methodology and workflow, historic photographic process identification, advising on secure and safe locations for Preserving The Past’s Rochester offices and working within the academic, museum and library systems.

John Tumpak

Small Business Administration, Director of Public Affairs for the Los Angeles District (Retired)

John Tumpak received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California graduating cum laude, is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business school honor society, three-time past-president of the Los Angeles Federal Executive Board Public Affairs Council and recently retired after twenty-eight years as Director of Public Affairs for the Los Angeles District. Mr. Tumpak has mentored Taylor since the inception of Preserving The Past in 1997. His expert advice on starting the business and continued advice on growing and developing the company is invaluable.

Don Snyder

Ryerson University, Professor and Director of Film+Photographic Preservation and Collections Management Masters and Documentary Media MFA Programs

Don Snyder and Taylor met in 2004 during the first year of pursuing her Master of Arts in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management at Ryerson University in Toronto and George Eastman Museum in Rochester (a dual government program.) A true scholar of photographic history, critical studies and curation, Professor Snyder advises Taylor Whitney on photographic deterioration, exhibition technique and working within academia.

Joe Morone

WorldLeaders Sales, Founder

Joe Morone is a leading sales trainer, speaker and author improving sales performance for business-to-business (B2B) technology firms. Under Mr. Morone’s astute leadership and mentoring Taylor has successfully transitioned the company from C2B to B2B. Learning the “Smart Sales Method” over the past several years has aided our growth and development allowing us to reach more diverse audiences and offer additional services meeting the objectives of business owners, library, archives, special collections, creators, collectors and producers.